Sherrell signs with Moberly

CHARLESTON -- The Charleston Bluejays basketball program has a long list of outstanding point guards that have come through the school.

Add senior Shawn Sherrell to the ever-growing list.

On Tuesday, Sherrell signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Moberly Community College.

At 5-foot-8, 149 pounds, he isn't an imposing figure on the court.

But Sherrell's production is anything but small.

This past season he averaged 14 points, 5 assists and four steals per game while leading the Bluejays to the Class 3 state championship.

Sherrell said he felt Moberly was the best fit for him.

"Moberly seems like a good school," he said. "A lot of people go Division I, but I'm going to a junior college to get used to things. I feel like they've got a good basketball tradition. They go to the nationals all the time. I believe I can fit in perfect there and maybe we can we it one year."

Moberly is a traditional power in the junior college ranks and has a reputation of developing Division I players.

The Greyhounds went 17-13 last year, finishing second in regular season in Region XVI, losing to Mineral Area in the semifinals of the postseason tournament.

Most recently, former Charleston standout Kewain Gant spent two years at Moberly before transferring to Arkansas State.

Moberly coach Kyle Gerdeman said he has had his eye on Sherrell for four years.

"I've seen him since he was a freshman and when you see kids playing varsity when they're freshmen, that always jumps out and you're able to follow them for four years," Gerdeman said. "I just always thought he was a leader. Even as a freshman I thought he had a lot of toughness and a lot of guts. On top of that he had a lot of basketball skill. We brought him up. I was happy to watch him play. He competed well with our players. He fit in well with our players. I'm real excited about signing him."

around skills to develop into a Division I player someday after his days at Moberly.

"It's a great junior college and they showed the most interest in him," Farmer said. "It's the kind of junior college I think he needs to go to. I think when he leaves Moberly he can be a Division I ball player. Moberly has a great tradition."

Farmer said other schools interested in Sherrell were junior colleges Shawnee, Henderson State, Three Rivers and Fort Smith.

Gerdeman says he expects Sherrell to fill a vacant spot at point guard for his squad.

"Our biggest need was a point guard, so hopefully he can fill that spot for us," Gerdeman said. "I think he's developed a great winning attitude down here with coach Farmer. They've been to four straight final fours and were fortunate to win one this last time. He's obviously a winner and he's a very strong a competitor."

Gerdeman said he isn't concerned about how Sherrell will hold up against some of the bigger, stronger players in the junior college ranks.

"In some ways it helps to be a bigger guy, but sometimes those little guys get it done," Gerdeman said. "He's got the right mentality to go along with his size. He knows he's got to do some things that other guys don't. He's got to be a little tougher. He's got to be a little scrappier. I think he'll do just fine."

Sherrell, a first team all-state player this past season, says he doesn't know where he would rank among Charleston's best point guards, but he said some of those former players helped mold him into the player he is today.

"Jeramy Biles, Larico Coleman, Marcus Biles -- we've had a lot of great point guards," Sherrell said. "There's so many of them. I took some of their advice and learned with it and ran with it. All of them have helped me the whole way. I played with them in the summer time. That's what got me where I'm at now."